Judging The Future
by Tigerlily06
Summary: Jethro makes a not so surprising confession to Ducky. This is a GD ship story. Slash implied, so if it makes you uncomfortable, please don't read.


TITLE: Judging The Future  
AUTHOR: Sharpiesgal  
PAIRING: Leroy Jethro Gibbs/Donald 'Ducky' Mallard  
GENRE: Slash  
SUB-GENRE: Established Relationship  
SUMMARY: The title and idea came to me from a fortune cookie. "There is no way of judging the future but by the past." Gibbs makes a not so startling admission to Ducky. Written for the April challenge at ncisgibbsducky community at Live Journal.  
WARNING: This is my first stab at this fandom and genre, so please bear with me.  
DISCLAIMER: Ain't mine, so no sue me this week.

"I have a confession to make, Duck," Jethro said as he joined his lover in bed.

"And what is that dearest?" Ducky inquired, gently. He snuggled into Jethro's embrace content to be held by the younger man.

"I lied to the team today."

"About?" Ducky supplied the question even though he knew what Jethro was alluding to. One night many years before in an inebriated state Jethro had told Ducky why he never allowed himself to get sick.

"About never getting sick," Jethro replied. He ran his fingers through Ducky's hair enjoying the silky feel of it. He felt Ducky sigh into his chest. "I don't think any of them bought it, but it was a lie nonetheless."

"I know."

"How?" Jethro asked. He slipped a finger under Ducky's chin forcing the older man to look up. Their eyes locked. Blue dueled blue. "What gave me away?"

"You looked at me," Ducky explained. "Daring me to call you on it."

"I did?" Jethro didn't remember that. He had been in desperate need of coffee, so chalked it up to caffeine deficiency.

"You did," Ducky said with a ghost of a smile.

"So why didn't you?"

"Sometimes the past is best kept in the past," Ducky answered, profoundly.

"Not here and not now," Jethro declared, fiercely.

&/&/&

Ducky leaned against the headboard patiently waiting for Jethro to gather his thoughts. He gave Jethro's hand a gentle squeeze.

Jethro looked up from their clasped hands and gave Ducky a wan smile. "The reason I don't get sick is because I was sick when my mother left. I don't know, but I guess it had to be the last straw for her."

"Being physically ill not necessarily causes people to walk away, Jethro," Ducky calmly observed.

"It doesn't make a person easy to live with," Jethro remarked, sourly. "Take DiNozzo. He whines when he's sick and it drives me crazy."

"Not a good example, my dear," Ducky tutted. "Tony drives you crazy when he is well."

Jethro huffed, but silently agreed with Ducky. DiNozzo just drove him crazy period.

"What you are afraid to admit, Jethro, is that if you got sick, you think I will walk away."

"Silly, I know," Jethro mumbled, tearing his eyes from Ducky's. "But true."

Ducky sighed. He wanted to curse Jethro's mother for all the pain she had caused him, but it wasn't in Ducky's nature to do so. He gave Jethro's hand another reassuring squeeze. "Look at me, Jethro," he requested.

Jethro looked up and saw nothing but love and understanding on Ducky's face. Undying love shone from Ducky's eyes as well. It caused a lump to develop in Jethro's throat. He didn't deserve Ducky's love, but he had it nonetheless---and always would.

"Your mother left for reasons that a young boy couldn't be expected to understand," Ducky said in quiet determination. "It was selfish of her to leave when your were sick, but left she did."

"Yeah."

"But I hope the man that I fell in love with over twenty-five years ago knows that I'm not like his mother and I won't walk out the door at the first sign of a sniffle."

"He knows," Jethro said, quietly. "But just bear with his paranoia."

"Always, my dear," Ducky clucked before pulling Jethro's head down for a kiss.

&/&/&

Ducky was finishing his morning ablutions when he heard a sneeze come from the bedroom. He went to investigate and found his lover still in bed huddled under the covers.

"Jethro?"

"Morning, Duck," Jethro muttered before sneezing again. "I'm sick."

"I see," Ducky remarked, hiding a smile. "Would you like me to stay home and take care of you?"

Jethro thought about protesting. One of them had to go in or nothing would get done, but the little boy inside of him spoke first. "Would you, Duck?"

"Yes, dearest."

Jethro smiled and then sneezed again.

The End


End file.
